Apparatus for opening and cleaning lint cotton



Nov. 27, 1951 E. H. BROOKS APPARATUS FOR OPENING AND CLEANING LINT COTTON 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed May 24, 1948 I INVENTOR. 04- 6f 52 6 E. H. BROOKS 2,576,280

APPARATUS FOR OPENING AND CLEANING LINT COTTON 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 Nov. 27, 1951 Filed May 24, 1948v INVENTOR. 045: A. w ks flrrakxveys Patented Nov. 27, 1951 APPARATUS FOR OPENING AND CLEANING LINT COTTON Eugene H. Brooks, Dallas, Tex assignor to Continentai Gin Company, a corporation of Delaware Application May 24, 1948, Serial No. 28,805

My present invention relates to apparatus for opening and cleaning lint cotton preparatory to subjecting the cotton to other cleaning or processin steps, thereby to put the cotton in condition for carding.

In the art to which my invention relates, it is the practice to take lint cotton from the bale and subject the same to a multiplicity of openin cleaning, blending, and lapping steps before delivering it to the carding engines. As is known, baling presses compact the lint to a density in the neighborhood of 30 pounds per cubic foot. Before such cotton can be carded, this dense cotton is usually made up into laps weighing from 8 ozs. to 16 ozs. per yard, representing a reduction in density of about 90%.

It is customary to feed the cotton from several bales to a bale breaker, the function of which is to reduce the density to around 2 lbs. per cubic foot, air and dry the fiber, and to commence the blending of fibers from the several bales. The cotton next is fed to an automatic feeder in which it is treated to remove loose dirt, dust, and trash.

From the feeder the fiber goes to a breaker lapper, (sometimes called a breaker-picker) which further blends and cleans the fiber and rolls the same into a lap. A plurality of laps thus formed are run through an intermediate lapper to again clean and blend the fibers and comes from this machine in the form of laps. A suitable number of laps from the intermediate lapper are run through a. similar machine, called a finisher-lappen'and are delivered from the last lapper in laps of suitable thickness and uniform weight to be sent to the cards. Some systems, instead of employing all of the individual machines set out above, utilize a single machine, called a one process picker. This machine combines the functions of machines subsequent to the bale breaker and delivers the cotton in bats ready for carding. A one-process picker, therefore, is in substance a combined machine embodying all the working parts and disadvantages hereinafter pointed out with respect to a system embodying multiple machines.

It is to be noted that the primary functions of all of the above machines are to take dense, baled cotton, reduce the density thereof, clean the cotton, and deliver the same to the cardin engines in bats of uniform thickness and weight. It is well known that the above machines are not entirely effective in opening and cleaning cotton. More particularly, the above machines are not wholly effective in removing motes, dirt, trash and the like from the lint or in separating the 8 Claims. (CI. 19-67) 2 matted knots of fiber generally found in cotton sufliciently to prevent the formation of slubs in the carded fiber.

In view of the above, it is the prime object of my invention to provide an improved apparatus for receiving cotton from the usual bale breaker,

blending machine, or other source, and which 20 the cotton from the bales is fed, together with a lint is being carried around on the saw cylinder,

and with means to dofi the cotton from the saw cylinder.

Another object is to provide a machine of the character designated in which the saw cylinder is disposed to return to the feed belt heavy particles of matted or knotted fiber, thus to cause the same to pass again through the machine and be subjected to the action of the saw cylinder, thereby assuring the complete opening of all the cotton before it is discharged from the apparatus.

A further object to provide a series of rollers between which the cotton is fed from the belt to the saw cylinder embodying one group of rollers mounted in stationary bearings, and another complementary group of rollers mounted in bearings which are spring biased toward the first group, thus causing the rollers to resiliently engage the cotton between them.

Apparatus embodying the features of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view, partly broken away and partly in section;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 11-11 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmental sectional view illustrating particularly the arrangement of the spring biased rollers, the saw cylinder, and the dofling means for the saw cylinder;

Fig. 4 is a fragmental and elevational view iliustrating the manner of mounting the spring biased rollers;

Fig. is a fragmentary side elevational view of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 4; and,

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic side elevational view showing my improved opener cleaner associated with one of the cleaners constructed in accordance with my aforementioned patent.

Referring now to the drawings for a better understanding of my invention, my improved opener cleaner comprises longitudinally extending frame members ill and II, which may be channels with their flanges outturne'd. The channels In and H are braced by a cross channel l2 at the forward ends thereof, and by an angle l3 at the rear ends. Extending upwardly from each side of the channels I9 and II adjacent the rear ends, are frame members l4. Securedto the frame members I 4 are the forward edges of side plates "5 and i1. The plates l6 and H are joined across the top by means of a cover plate l8, thus to form a,box-like housing open at its forward end.

Mounted acfiacent the rear end of the frame members l9 and H in suitable bearings l9 and 2| is a roller 22. At the forward ends of the members l9 and II is another roller 23, rotatably supported in bearings carried by plates 24. The plates 24 are adjustable longitudinally of the frame members I9 and H by means of the usual screw take up mechanisms 26. A horizontally disposed feed apron or belt 21 passes over the rollers 22 and 23, the upper flight of the apron being supported between the rollers by means of a plurality of spaced longitudinally extending members 28, supported at each end by cross members 30 and 39a. The upper flight of the feed belt 21 may be supported rearwardly of the members 28 by means of an idler roller 29, journalled in bearings 3| and 32, mounted on the frame members i9 and II, respectively. The lower flight of belt 21 passes over an idler roller 33, journalled in end bearings 34, likewise mounted on the frame members I 9 and respectively. Mounted to guide the sides of the apron 21 are vertically disposed rollers 35.

Extending upwardly at either side of the members Ill and H, adjacent the roller 22, are brackets 31 and 38. Journalled in the brackets 31 and 38 and disposed substantially directly over the roller 22 is another roller 39. 'Forwardly of the roller 29 and extending from the members I9 and II are brackets 4| and 42. Secured in suitable manner to theupper ends of the brackets 4| and 42 and inclined toward the roller 39 are members 43 and 44. Rotatably mounted in the forward end of the members 43 and 44 and extending therebetween is a roller 46. Passing over the rollers 39 and 46 is an upper apron or belt 41, inclined from the roller 46 toward the roller 39 in the manner shown in the drawing. I may mount in the rear end of the members 43 and 44 an idler roller 48, disposed to restrain the lower flight of the feed belt 41 against upper deflection when cotton is fed between the two belts 21 and 41 in the manner later to be explained.

The side plates I6 and i1 extend rearwardly of the apparatus to lie alongside vertically disposed frame members 49 and 5|, forming in effect heads for supporting other parts of the apparatus. The frame members may be cross braced at their rear edges by a cross member 52. The frame members 49 and 5| may be supported by welding or bolting at their forward edges to cross members 53 and 54, the latter being held together by means of plates 58.

Mounted to receive between them cotton discharged at the rear ends of the belts 21 and 41 are roller beds each comprising a plurality of relatively small diameter rollers. The beds or groups of rollers comprise an upper set consisting of individual rollers 51, and a lower set consisting of individual rollers 58. The rollers 51 are mounted for rotation in bearings supported from the side plates l6 and I1, driven in a manner later to be described. The rollers 51 preferably are positioned with their axes disposed on the arm of a circle, for a reason later to appear.

Rollers 58 comprising the lower group are journalled at each end in arcuate bearing blocks 59 and 6|. The axes of these rollers are preferably disposed on the arc of a circle which is slightly greater in radius than the arc of the circle on which are disposed the axes of the rollers 51, and concentric therewith.

The rollers 58 are supported to be yieldably biased toward the rollers 51 by the mechanism now to be described and which is associated with the bearing blocks 59 and 6|. Since the supporting mechanisms are identical for both bearing blocks 59 and 6|, a description of one will suffice for both. As shown, the lower end of the bearing block 6| has welded thereto a lug 62. Pivotally mounted as at 63 to the lug is the eye of a bolt 64. The bolt 64 carries a nut 66 and its opposite end projects throughan angularly disposed bracket 61, made fast to the inside of the cross member 54. A spring 68 is interposed between the bracket and a washer 69 surrounding the bolt and engaging the nut. The bolt is reduced as indicated at 1| thereby to form a shoulder 12, and the reduced end 1| passes through a suitable opening in the cross member 54. The shoulder 12 is disposed to contact the inner wall of the cross member 54, thereby to limit movement of the bolt in the bracket 61 against the force of spring 68.

Mounted on top of the cross member 54 is a plate 13. Disposed on top of the plate 13 is a vertically extending bracket 14, notched as indicated at 16. Pivotally mounted within the upper end of the bracket 14 on a pin 11 is the lower end of a link 18. Passing through the upper end of the link 18 is a pin 19. Pivotally mounted on the pin 19 is the eye 8| of a bolt 82, similar to the bolt 64, and carrying a nut 83 and washer 84. The pin 19 passes through a lug 86, similar to the lug 62, secured to the bearing block 6|. The lower end of the bolt 82 is reduced as indicated at 81 and passes through an opening in the bracket 13. A spring 88 is interposed between the washer 84 and the bracket 13 thus to bias the link 18 and the upper end of the block 6| upwardly, the link 18 pivoting about the pin 11.

Rotatably mounted in the end frame members 49 and 5| is a shaft 89. Mounted in spaced relation with respect to each other on the shaft 89 are a plurality of saws 90, which may be slightly inclined with respect to the shaft 89 in the manner shown in my before mentioned patent, and forming a saw cylinder 9|. The saws are spaced above the uppermost rollers 51 and 58 in position to engage the bat of cotton Referring more particularly to Fig. 3 of the drawing, the cover plate I9 is curved downwardly at its rear end 92 and is joined to .a cross member 99 supported from the end frame members 49 and II. Secured to the member 93 is a plate 5 94, forming the upper cover for a lint doillng means. shown in this instance as a brush cylinder 95. The plate 94 iscurved downwardly and turned outwardly at'91 to form the top of a lint flue 95.

The dofling cylinder .95 comprises brushes 99. disposed to engage the lint carried around by the saw cylinder and to remove the same therefrom in the manner well understood. The saw cylinder and the dofllng cylinder rotate in the directions indicated by the respective arrows, the u dofling cylinder being supported on a shaft IM and driven in any suitable manner, not shown.

Beneath the dofllng cylinder I provide an adjustable mote board indicated generally by the numeral I02. As is well understood in the art, the mote board is adjustable horizontally toward and from the saw cylinder through a link I09 and an operating handle therefor on the outside of the frame member 49 or 5|, and not shown in the drawing. The adjustable mote board is siidable with respect to an upwardly inclined plate I04, bent outwardly as indicated at I05 to form the bottom of the lint flue 99. The lint flue 95 is closed by suitable side plates thus to form a complete duct for removing lint from the machine as the same is doifed from the saws by the brush cylinder 96.

Referring again more particularly to Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings, forwardly and beneath the saw cylinder I provide an inclined plate I06, the lower end I01 of which is disposed closely adjacent the upper surface of the belt 41. The plate I00 extends across the apparatusand is substantially the width of the belt 41. The plate I06 may be supported by bolts or rivets I08 from the end plates I6 and I1.

In order to clean the cotton more effectively, I may provide a depending plate I09 disposed closely adjacent the saw cylinder and extending the length thereof. The plate I09 is in effect the equivalent of the cleaning bar described in my aforesaid patent. The lint carried around by the saws in the manner to be explained flares outwardly and strikes the edge of the plate, thereby causing commingled dust, trash, motes and the like to be removed from the lint.

The belts 21 and 41, and rollers 51 and 59 may all be driven through a variable speed mechanism mounted onthe top plate I8 of the housing. This mechanism is indicated generally by the numeral III, the speed control therefor being in theform of a crank II2 disposed to rotate a shaft II 3, thereby to shift a floating pulley II4. Such mechanisms are well known in the art and require no further detailed description.

While any suitable means may be employed to-transmit rotary movement from the speed change mechanism to the rollers 51 and 50, I preferably employ a chain H6, passing alternately over sprockets fast on the shaft of rollers 51 and 58 as shown in Fig. 3, and returning upwardly at each end to a sprocket driven by the speed change mechanism. The lower belt 21 may be driven by means of a chain I I1, while the upper belt 41 may be driven by a chain IIO connected to one of the rollers 51. At all events, the belts 41 and 21 are driven with adjacent surfaces thereof moving toward the discharge end of the belts, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 3. Boilers 51 and are rotated with adjacent surfaces thereof moving in the same direction indicated by the arows, thereby to discharge the hat of cotton from between the rollers adjacent the saw cylinder.

From the foregoing the method of constructing and operating my improv opener cleaner may be readily explained and understood. Cotton from any suitable source, as from a blending and feeding machine, may be fed onto the lower belt 21. The cotton passes to the rear end of the belt 21, and is engaged by the lower flight of the upper belt 41. These belts cooperate to feed the cotton between the rollers 51 and 50 in a bat which may vary to some extent in thickness. The rollers 51 and 50 receive between them the hat of cotton from the belts and move it upwardly in a continuous stream, presenting it to the saw cylinder 9I.- The saw cylinder thus engages a relatively thin bat of cotton and strips the fibers therefrom, causing separation of individual fibers.

The fibers on the saws flare outwardly as they are carried around thereby, strike the plate I09 where trash and dirt are knocked out, and finally are doffed by the brush cylinder 96.

The cotton fed onto the belt 21, from existing opening and cleaning apparatus will be found to contain knotted lumps of fiber. My improved apparatus, however, permits the passage of such lumps or matted fibers between the rollers 51 and 58, since the springs 50 and 58 allow the rollers 59 to move away from the rollers 51. The knotted masses of fiber are thus presented to the saw cylinder as a part of the bat, and the saw cylinder tears the same apart, separating the fibers thereof. Any heavy masses of fiber not separated and which commence to be carried around by the saws are thrown forwardly of the saw cylinder and fall either onto the upper flight of the belt 41, or onto the plate I05. Such masses of fiber thus thrown off move forwardly of the apparatus on the upper flight of the belt 41 and fall by gravity onto the belt 21, thereby to be passed again through the apparatus and subjected again to the saw cylinder. Motes, trash, dirt and the like knocked out by the plate I09, together with any motes, dirt, and trash removed from the flher by the brush cylinder 96, pass out of the machine through the space I20, between the uppermost roller and the end of the mote board I02. A trough or conveyor, not shown, may be provided beneath the machine for catching such trash and conveying the same away.

It is to be noted that the curved mounting of the rollers causes the cotton to be presented to the lower surface of the saw cylinder 9I, thus permitting the heavy knotted lumps of fiber drawn out of the bat to have ample time while -on the saw cylinder to be thrown forwardly ratus.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 6 of the drawing, I show by improved opener cleaner associated with a cleaner II9, constructed in accordance with my aforesaid Patent No. 2,440,139. After passing through the machine just described, the lint cotton may be taken from the lint flue 95 and passed to a condenser I 2|. The condenser I2I forms the fiber into a bat in the manner understood, and feeds the same in a thin, uniform bat to another saw cylinder I22 formcomprises dofllng means for removing the fiber from the saw cylinder I22 which may be a doffing cylinder I23 or the usual air blast nozzle. While in machine H9, the cotton is again sub- Jected to a cleaning and beating action, and the same may be delivered therefrom through a duct or lint flue I24 to any desired apparatus, such for instance as another condenser I26, or it may be sent to a lapper.

From the foregoing it will be seen that cotton passed through my improved apparatus is thoroughly opened and cleaned, and that all matted knots of fiber are broken up into separate fibers suitable for carding. In actual operation, I have found that an opener cleaner made in accord-,

ance with my invention is highly satisfactory. simple of construction and operation, and that it is ideally suited for use in the opening rooms of cotton mills due to its compact structure. While I have shown and described the domng means for removing lint from the saw cylinder as comprising a brush dofiing cylinder, it is to be understood that other suitable forms of dofilng means may be employed, such for instance as the usual air blast dofiing nozzle employed in cotton gins and the like. Therefore, where the expression means to doff cotton from the saw cylinder is used in the claims, it is to be expressly understood that means other than a brush cylinder may be employed for this purpose. I preferably employ rollers 51 and 58 which are relatively small in diameter as compared to the saw cylinder so that the bite between the rollers adjacent the saw cylinder is small. This permits the bat to be engaged by the saw cylinder immediately after being released from between the rollers.

In operation I have found that cotton fed onto the lower apron 21 has a natural tendency to lie fiat thereon, thus to be discharged into the bite of the rollers 51 and 58. Therefore, under some conditions, the upper apron 41 may be eliminated. In this instance, heavy masses of fiber thrown forwardly of the saw cylinder fall directly onto the lower apron, thereby to make another passage through the apparatus and are operated upon again by the saw cylinder.

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various changes and modifications, without departing from the spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In apparatus for opening and cleaning lint cotton, a housing open at the front end, a lower traveling apron onto which is fed cotton to be opened and cleaned, said apron projecting into the housing from the open front end thereof, an apron disposed above the lower apron with the lower fiight thereof moving in the same direction as the upper flight of the lower apron, and inclined thereto whereby cotton is discharged from between said aprons in a bat, a first group of closely spaced rollers in the housing adjacent the discharge ends of the aprons, stationary bearings in which the rollers are rotatably mounted, a second group of closely spaced rollers, bearings at either end of the second group of rollers, means to resiliently urge said second group of rollers toward the first group, said groups being disposed to receive between them the bat of cotton discharged from between the aprons, means to rotate all of said rollers thereby to discharge the bat from be tween the last rollers of the groups, a rotatable saw cylinder disposed to engage the bat as it emerges from between the last rollers of said groups and carry the cotton around, a cleaning element disposed closely adjacent the saw cylinder in position to be struck by the cotton being carried around thereby, a plate in the housing beneath the saw cylinder and inclined from the saw cylinder toward the upper apron, the lower edge of the plate lying closely adjacent the upper flight of the upper apron thereby to cause fiber thrown from the saw cylinder onto the plate to be deposited on said upper apron, means to doff cotton from the saw cylinder after the same has struck the cleaning element, and a fiue for removing cotton doifed from the saw cylinder.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which the groups of rollers are disposed with the axes thereof on the arcs of concentric circles, and in which the bat of cotton discharged from between said rollers is presented to the lower surface of the saw cylinder.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which the drive means for the rollers comprises a chain passing alternately over sprockets carried on the ends of the rollers.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which the bearings for the second group of rollers adjacent the feed end of the roller groups are spring biased toward the first group of rollers and pivotally mounted and spring biased toward the first group of rollers adjacent the discharge end of the roller groups.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which stops are provided for limiting the movement of the second group of rollers away from the first group.

6. In apparatus for opening and cleaning lint cotton, a housing, a traveling apron onto which cotton to be opened and cleaned is fed, a second apron mounted above the first apron inclined toward the discharge end of the first apron and disposed to discharge cotton fed continuously therebetween in a bat, coacting roller beds each comprising a multiplicity of axially parallel relatively small diameter rollers disposed side by side and with the discharge rollers of the beds raised above the level of the discharge end of the second apron, means to support one roller bed with the rollers thereof yieldably biased as a group toward the rollers of the other bed, means to rotate the rollers with adjacent surfaces thereof moving in the same direction, said roller beds being disposed to receive between them the bat of cotton discharged from between the aprons and to discharge the same in bat form, a saw cylinder having its lower surface positioned to engage the bat of cotton discharged from between the roller beds and to carry the same around, means to rotate the saw cylinder with the lower surface thereof moving toward the apron, said saw cylinder being disposed to return to the second apron lint thrown from the side of the saw cylinder adjacent the apron, a cleaning element extending parallel to the long axis of the saw cylinder and closely spaced from the surface thereof to be struck by the lint being carried around on the saw cylinder, and means to doff lint cotton from the saw cylinder after the same has struck the cleaning element, there being an opening in the housing beneath the saw cylinder for the escape of trash knocked out of the lint by striking the cleaning element.

'7. In a cotton opening and cleaning machine embodying a housing, an apron in the housing 9 onto which cotton to be opened and cleaned is fed, closely spaced elongated coacting groups of rotatable rollers disposed to receive between them cotton discharged from the apron, means to rotate the rollers with the adjacent surfaces thereof traveling in the same direction, a rotatable saw cylinder disposed to engage the cotton discharged from between the last rollers of said groups, said saw cylinder being disposed to remove the cotton and carry the samearound, means mounting the saw cylinder with the lower surface thereof above the level of said apron and rotating toward the apron to return to the latter lint thrown forwardly off the bottom of the saw cylinder by centrifugal force, and means in the housing disposed on the side of the saw cylinder opposite the apron to doff cotton from the saw cylinder, there being an opening in the housing beneath the side of the saw cylinder from which cotton is dotted through which dirt, trash, motes and the like escape when removed from the cotton while the same is on the saw cylinder.

8. In apparatus for opening and cleaning lint cotton, a lower feed apron onto which the cotton to be opened and cleaned is fed, an upper apron disposed with the lower flight thereof inclined toward the discharge end of the lower apron, means to drive both aprons with adjacent flights thereof moving in the same direction, an upper roller bed comprising a plurality of closely spaced roliers positioned adjacent the discharge end of said aprons, a lower roller bed comprising av plurality of closely spaced rollers extending parallel to the upper group, means to mount the lower, roller group for movement toward and from the upper roller group, resilient means ur ing the lower roller group toward the upper roller group, a common sprocket chain for driving all of said rollers with the adjacent surfaces thereof traveling in the same direction whereby cotton discharged from between the aprons is received between the rollers adjacent the discharge ends of the aprons and discharged from between the last rollers of said groups. a rotatable saw cylinder disposed to engage the cotton discharged from between the last rollers of said groups and carry the same around, a cleaning element disposed closely adjacent the saw cylinder and adapted to be struck by the cotton being carried around on the saw cylinder, and means to doff the cotton from the saw cylinder after the same has struck the cleaning element.

EUGENE H. BROOKS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 23,044 Brooks Nov. 19, 1948 1,180,131 Garner Apr. 18, 1916 1,180,133 Garner et a1 Apr. 18, 1916 1,299,185 Howorth Apr. 1, 1919 1,925,550 Williams Sept. 5, 1933 

